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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28038711">Jet Black Hearts 4.12: Maddie and the Magician's Assistant</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/voleuse/pseuds/voleuse'>voleuse</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Jet Black Hearts [72]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supernatural</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 00:19:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>384</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28038711</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/voleuse/pseuds/voleuse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Maddie thought magic was real, but in an abstract sort of way.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Jet Black Hearts [72]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1979008</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Jet Black Hearts 4.12: Maddie and the Magician's Assistant</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Set after 4.12, "<a href="https://supernatural.fandom.com/wiki/Criss_Angel_Is_A_Douchebag">Criss Angel is a Douche Bag</a>."<br/>The bartender is named Maddie in IMDB; Vance's assistant wasn't given a name, so I named her after the actress, Amber.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Maddie's bar wasn't the most chic and the clientele definitely weren't the best tippers. (Sioux City wasn't a major hotspot in the first place, but the conventions ran year-round.) She had a fond spot for her would-be regulars, though--the folks old-school enough to speak fondly of the Mob (as if), but old enough to look askance at venture capitalist trash. The lack of men grabbing her ass made up for the just-barely-respectable gratuities.</p>
<p>Jay, for example. He came around with the Midwest Magic Week once a year like clockwork. The old salt had been a sweetheart once she got past the defensive bluster, the grin he seemed to think remained charming over the decades. On slow nights, Maddie liked to linger by his table--he'd show her another way to impress the rubes with a shuffle. It had torn at her heart, to see him so...empty after his friend died. She hadn't had the heart to throw his cards away--she hoped he'd come back the next night to change his mind. </p>
<p>He didn't.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>It was a week later when Maddie noticed that magician's assistant was back. When Maddie brought her the second gin and tonic, the woman gestured over Maddie's shoulder. "Those were Jay's, right?"<p>Maddie looked back; Jay's deck was propped up next to the register. "Yeah," she said. "I hoped he'd come back to get them, but--"</p>
<p>The woman nodded. "It was a bad week," she murmured.</p>
<p>Maddie leaned against the bar. "Amber, right?" She slid a fresh napkin under her drink. "I'm sorry about Vance."</p>
<p>"Thanks." Amber tilted a shoulder, smiling. "I mean, he was a dick, but not a horrible boss."</p>
<p>Traffic was slow that night, so Maddie started polishing glasses. "I'd have thought you'd be out of town by now."</p>
<p>"Yeah, well." Amber took a sip of her drink. "Might as well sort out the rest of the tour here as from the next spot."</p>
<p>"The rest of the tour? You're not just cancelling everything?"</p>
<p>"The theatre shows, yes," Amber said. "But I know enough that I can handle the smaller events--schools, local festivals, that sort of thing."</p>
<p>"Really?" Maddie rested her elbows on the bar. "What can you do?"</p>
<p>Amber leaned closer. "If you're free after your shift, I could show you."</p>
<p>Maddie smiled.</p>
  </div></div>
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